""It took a persuasive letter from his publisher to get him to finish what he had started, and the result, in Martynov's exceptional hands, is thrilling and remarkable. It's no substitute for the splendours of the original, of course, but it is an authentic musical experience in its own right, and a real pianistic tour de force. The double fugue at the climax of the finale is especially dazzling, and Martynov's handling of it equally remarkable, and in all four movements there are details usually obscured in orchestral performances which come to light, thanks to his meticulous phrasing and colouring of every bar.""

""Yury Martynov is one of the few pianists around with the technical resources, musical grasp and conviction to recreate this legacy persuasively. In doing so, he amply demonstrates its continued usefulness and vitality. It seems safe to say that he has given us the Beethoven-Liszt cycle for our time, and one unlikely soon to be superseded.""

...Yury Martynov on his old Blüthner can stand amongst the best of any recordings on newer instruments, and as a performance in sounds that would have been home turf to its creator this has to be a leading choice."